Although PlayStation 3 is still third in worldwide sales, behind the Xbox 360 by about 5-million units, the PS3 community services now have as many online gamers as Xbox 360 says Sony. Sony posted on their blog saying, “with 14 million active accounts and 273 million pieces of content downloaded, we know that you’re thirsting for this digital entertainment.”
Although US sales of the 360 are killing the PS3, the community membership does give gamers a reason to get online with the PS3. Nobody wants to buy into a console that has very few active online games or an easy way to find friends (*cough* Wii). Having 14-million users helps them bridge the sales gap by building gamer confidence. Social networking is the new term; gamers want to socialize with each other online and with their consoles.
Microsoft recently announced their 14-million subscriber base and continue to update folks when they hit big milestones. The main difference, LIVE is a subscription system — those 14-million gamers are also paying for the service (we’re not sure if silver memberships count in that figure) and this means income for Microsoft while Sony does their service for free.
Although Microsoft is making money on their service, no doubt Sony will bypass their total membership because it has no cost barriers to play. The biggest cost barrier to get on Sony’s network is the PS3 itself and many gamers hold out for price drops which aren’t coming anytime soon (so says Sony). However, building a larger community on a free network allows Sony to siphon gamers to buy downloadable content, games, music, movies and all the goodies that go with these services.
It seems a better idea to triple your audience with a free service knowing a large amount of “hardcore gamers” attach themselves to the easy to buy content on said service. So, is it better to make US $50.00 a year on half the population or give triple that population an opportunity to spend more money on content?
“Thanks to all of you, PS3’s momentum is stronger than ever. There are nearly 17 million PS3 systems around the world, and in the United States, PS3 hardware sales are up nearly 100 percent from where we were at this time last year. Software sales have tripled from a year ago. Yes, we’re proud about everything we’ve accomplished, and we’re even more psyched about where we’re going with our holiday software lineup” (playstation.com)
Eventually gamers may have access to Sony’s Home project, which could raise the community figures and give Xbox 360 something less to brag about. Although, we’re sure Sony would rather be boasting “number one” console again, at least they’ve finally got a win on their side because 14-million users is only the beginning for them.
Plus, it’s hard to argue free.
At E3 Reggie Fils-Aime let the world know he wasn’t satisfied with the sales progress of the Wii or DS in 2007 and hopes Nintendo can do better this year. Perhaps Nintendo is playing the humble card? No doubt they bragged about their 10 million sales of the Wii and 20 million sales of the DS but quickly followed it by saying they’re not satisfied.
Sorry Paul, I just don’t do hate.
Jordan, your description of Rage reminds me of how I felt after finishing Doom 3. Not a bad game, but I wouldn’t pay 60 USD for it.
@Resident Evil 6 on-disc DLC unlocked by modders
Bwa ha ha ha ha :))
Way to go modders! As far as I am concerned, the contents id already free (if you bough the game).
Dan, interesting point there, it could be something to be unlocked.
@World of Warcraft cities laid waste by first level priest
What makes it funny is that Blizzard is now going after the hacker. Jeez, why not invest the time in finding other such bugs and patch those as well? Talk about the wrong way to spend time and energy.
@QOTW: None, unfortunately. I had very little time to play any game in the first half of the year, I doubt I’ll have more in the fall or winter. Heck, I still have Shadowrun to finish, Portal 2, the Penumbra games and so on.
I might pick up a game or two if there’s a sale on Steam – maybe Company of Heroes or Metro 2033, but again, no new game, and with very little chance of playing them these months.
@Cheating AI: Red Alert was also cheating.
And yes, Quake 3 bots were able to accurately figure out the velocity vector of the player in order to lead their rockets (cheating). True. But you could also change your direction after the rocket was shot. And in the mean time, you would have to place your own rockets close enough to frag them. That’s the challenge, beat a cheating computer.
Turns out the Resident Evil 6 DLC is free after all. The next DLC will probably unlock the rest of the copntent on the disc.
@Sony sues Kevin Butler actor for appearing in Wii commercial: In my opinion they are making a big deal over nothing. It’s not like someone was going to buy a PS3 but then decided to buy some tires because there was a chance they could win a Wii. I even read that his exclusivity contract expired a few days before the ad aired.
@QOTW: This fall I only plan to buy Assassin’s Creed III, so that I can save up some money for the Wii U. It is at the top of my list because I know for sure that I will enjoy it, especially now that it’s finally changed to another setting.
P.S. I would love to hear that Doctor Who podcast some time soon. If any of you haven’t seen it, here’s the brilliant unshot scene that would have been perfect in the last episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWU6XL9xI4k
@Sony and Kevin Butler
Never heard of the guy. Only seen him once during the E3. They didn’t market him outside US. Fully agree with DynamicJul. Much Ado about Nothing. Sony’s lawyers just want a thicker pay check this Christmas.
@Warcraftopocalyps
I wish I was there. That’s what I love about MMOs. Sometimes stuff like that happens. Before it died, Face of Mankind was like that every day. Something bonkers would happen all the time. To bad that Blizzard will probably find the guys, fine them $1 million and get them imprisoned in Guatanamo.
@AI cheating
I had far to many experiences with this. The eternal bane of shooters was making the AI super accurate. In RTS they would hammer you with endless waves of enemies. Takes out all the fun out of challenging yourself. Left4Dead is a primary example. On expert the AI flaunt all the rules in an attempt to rape you into dust. It’s frustrating but ridiculously satisfying if you succeed.
@Gameboy Micro
Here is the reason why it didn’t sell. The day I went out to buy a Micro I instead ended up buying a pre-owned DS with a game for less cash. And it could play GBA games as well. What was the point releasing a Micro after DS anyway?
o hai, i’m sorry, i could not post last podcast. i always post when i can :3
to begin my feedback i’d like to apologize to Shawn on last podcast’s giveaway on choosing the same game as him (half life). if i had seen that i’d have choosen crash bandicoot 3.
@jonah calling me drunk on 281st podcast
1st: i did not meant “‘real time’ reviews” as in real time real time, it was a way for me to say “more often reviews for games that get patched often”.
AND I ONLY GIVE FEEDBACK WHILE DRUNK SOMETIMES >=] (not now, not then)
@Resident Evil 6 on-disc DLC unlocked by modders:
i bet if were not for the Street fighter X tekken “agreement” that capcom made with the consumers after the on disk DLC was discovered, this would not be a free one.
@QOTW:
idk, i’m saving money to see if medal of honor: warfighter is worth of my hard drive space. and if dishonored is as good as it looks, i’ll buy it on the winter steam sale. what about CoD:BO2 you ask? nope.avi
@QOTW
Just bought the new Pokemon. But I don’t think they count as anything major these days. Getting my mits on Halo 4. That’s my target. Hope 343 industries don’t muck it up. Planning to import a Wii U. Straight from Japan. To play all those Japanese Wii titles I missed. And just try to imagine Assasins Creed 3 in Japanese.